Boot leg stretching device



J. I. M KESSON Oct. 4, 1966 BOOT LEG STRETCHING DEVICE Filed Sept. 27, 1965 JACOB I. M KESSON INVENTOR.

HIS AGENT United States Patent Filed Sept. 27, 1965, Ser. No. 490,219 7 Claims. (Cl. 12114.6)

This invention relates to improvements in stretchers for boot legs, and more particularly to a stretcher which may be so adjusted as to stretch any portion of the boot leg thereby to enable the boot leg to be sized so that the boot may be readily put onto or removed from the foot.

Various boort trees have been proposed heretofore, but these, for the most part, are used in connection with new boots and will stretch the leg of the boot uniformly along the entire length thereof, or such trees have required readjusting to stretch certain parts of the boot leg.

The present device is so constructed, that once it is inserted into a boot leg, the boot leg may be stretched throughout the entire length thereof, with the stretcher units being in parallel relation, or the boot leg may be stretched more at the top than at the bottom, or stretched more at the bottom than at the top without having to remove the stretcher from the boot leg.

There are two types of boots sold to the general public, one wherein the bootmaker takes exact measurements and the contour of the feet and legs, then makes a last for the boot so as to fit the particular foot for which it is designed. This type of work is known as custom boot making and it is very satisfactory and .also very expensive. The other type of boots are ready made, which means they are made on production lasts having the general characteristics of the foot and leg of the prospective purchaser. For a boot store to handle all types and sizes of boots and boot legs would necessitate a large investment, and'even though the foot portion of a boot might fit the purchaser, the leg of the boot might not be the right size for the particular purchaser, either at the top, the bottom or even throughout the entire length. It is to this end that the present boot leg sretcher is designed, so as to enable the stretching of the boot leg in a particular place, and none other, to enable the purchaser to wear the boot. Heretofore, most boot stores did not have sufficient sales to justify the installation of heavy factory type boot stretching equipment, involving a cost of hundreds of dollars, and which would require extra floor space and employment of an experienced operator.

The present boot leg stretcher is light in weight, easy to operate and inexpensive. It may be readily adjusted to stretch any portion of the leg of a boot, and when not in use it may be readily hung on a hook or nail in a convenient location without requiring extra floor space. The present boot leg stretcher will enable the stretching of the legs of boots in such manner that the prospective wearer may satisfactorily use the boot, thereby the sale of a ready made boot may result at considerable saving to the customer, who might otherwise require a custom made boot.

An object of this invention is to provide a boot leg stretcher which may be adjusted to stretch any portion of the boot leg without removing the stretcher therefrom, in order to make adjustments to the stretcher.

Another object of the invention is to provide a boot leg stretcher which is light, and which is usable by anyone with a minimum of instruction.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a boot leg stretcher which utilizes a double wedge expander, which expander is screw operated, the wedges of which may be operated independently or simultaneously, or a single wedge may be operated to obtain the desired stretching results.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a boot leg stretcher which is simple and sturdy in construction, easy to assemble and disassemble, easy to adjust, and low in the cost of manufacture.

With these objects in mind and others which will become manifest as the description proceeds, reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which like reference characters designate like parts in the several views "thereof, in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the boot leg stretcher, showing one position thereof in full outline, another position thereof being shown in dashed outline;

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional view through the boot leg stretcher, showing portions in elevation, and showing other portions broken away and in section, to bring out the details of construction;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged sectional view' taken on line 44 of FIG. 2, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an elevational view of the boot leg stretcher on a reduced scale shown positioned within a boot, the boot being shown in dashed outline and showing the boot leg stretcher in position to stretch the upper portion of the bootleg;

FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 5, but showing the boot leg stretcher in position to stretch the lower portion of the leg of the boot; and

FIG. 7 is a sectional view taken on line 7-7 of FIG. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows.

With more detailed reference to the drawing the numeral -1 designates generally the boot leg engaging members, which may be made of a suitable material such as metal, plastic, wood, or the like. However, in the present instance the boot leg engaging members are shown to be made of Wood, which is preferably hardwood such as birch, wa l-nut or the like. It is preferable to have the outer surface of each leg engaging member rounded, as indicated at 2, throughout'the length thereof so as to enable the outer surface 2 to engage the leg 4 of a boot generally designated by the numeral 6.

The inner upper face 8, of each boot leg engaging member, is angulated with respect to the surface 2. Each lower inner face '10, of each boot le-g engaging member, is angulated with respect to the outer face 2, each of the angles of the upper face 8 and the inner face 10 being relatively steep angles, with a wedge member 12 positioned in complementary relation, between the angulated faces 8, and a wedge member 14 positioned in complementary relation between angulated faces 10.

The wedge member I12 preferably has a screwthreaded member, such as .a nut '16, imbedded therein and bonded there-to. A screwthreaded member or nut 18 is fitted within wedge #14 and is bonded thereto, to be movable therewithin. A hole extends substantial-1y centrally through each of the wedge members 12 and 14, which hole may also be screwthreaded to threadably receive a screwthreaded portion 20a of tubular member 20 within nut 16 of wedge 12 and a screwthreaded shaft 22 is received within the screwthreaded nut 18 of wedge '14. The screwthreaded shaft 22 is screwthreaded for only a portion of the length thereof, as indicated at 22a and a portion 24 of shaft 22 is journaled within the tubular member 20, as will best be seen in FIGS. 2, 3, and 7. The shaft 22 has an annular groove 26 therearound intermediate the threaded portion 22a and the unthreaded portion 24, in which groove 26 a retaining clip ring 28, known as an E-ring, is fitted. The E-Iing 28 is in abutting relation with the lower end of unthreaded, reduced portion of tubular member 20. The upper end portion 24 of the shaft 22 has an enlarged shoulder 30 thereon which is in abut ting relation with the upper face of tubular member 20. This prevents longitudinal movement of the shaft 22 with respect to tubular member 20. -The portion 24 of ,shaft 22 has a handle 32 on the upper end thereof, which handle may be T-shaped and have a crank '34 on one end thereof to expedite turning of the shaft 22 to rotate ,the threaded portion 22a which threadably engages nut 18 in wedge member 14.

The tubular member 20 has a T-shaped handle 36 thereon near the upper end'thereof to enable the turning of the tubular member 20 independently of the turning movement of shaft 22., Upon rotation of the screwthreaded tubular member 20, the double faced wedge member 1-2, which is in contact relation with the inner angulated faces 8 of the boot leg engaging members 1, will cause the wedge member 12 to move relative to leg engaging members 1 to cause relative movement between the leg engaging members 1, so upon turning the screwthreaded tubular member 20 in one direction the wedge member :12 will be moved downward from the position as'shown in full outline in FIG. 1 to that shown in dashed outline therein. 2

The tubular member 20 has a reduced end portion 41,

which reduced end portion 41 has annular grooves 38 formed therein, which grooves are similar to groove 26, shown in FIG. 3. The annular grooves 38 are formed at spaced intervals to receive clip rings 40 on each side of a block 42. The block is centrally apertured to permit the reduced portion 41, of the tubular member 20, to rotate in journaled relation therein, with the clip rings 40 preventing longitudinal movement of the tubular member 20 with respect to block 42. The block 42 has spaced apart screwthreaded holes formed therein to threadably -receive bolts 44 therethrough and through loose slitting apertures in boot leg engaging members 1. It is preferable to have four of these bolts 44, which bolts are headed and extend into enlarged holes 48 in boot leg engaging members 1. The heads of the bolts 44 bias springs 50 between the heads of the respective bolts and the respective lower end of holes 48. The springs 50 permit outward movement of boot leg engaging members 1, upon inward travel of wedges 12 and 14, with the springs 50 being compressed. Upon outward movement of wedges 12 and 14, the springs 50- will urge the boot leg engaging members 1 inwardly. The apertures 46 and holes 48 are suificiently large to enable angular movement of the boot leg engaging members 1 relative to each other in a manner as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, with the springs 50 maintaining the boot leg engaging members 1 in contact relation with the wedges 12 and 114, when the leg engaging members 1 are being used to'stretch specific portions of the leg 4 of the boot 6.

The bolts 44 centralize the block 42 in longitudinal relation with respect to boot leg engaging members 1 and with the tubular member 20 anchored against longitudinal movement by clip rings, such as E-ring 40, and with the shaft 24 secured against longitudinal movement by clip ring 28 and shoulder 30 either of the wedges 12 and 14 may be used independently by either turning tubular member 20, which has a portion screwthre-aded, with handle 26 or shaft 22, which also has-a portion screwthreaded, by handle 32 or crank 34.

In making the boot leg engaging members 1 of hardwood and the wedges 12 and 14 of hardwood, the wood may be dressed to a fine finish and properly treated so that the angulated surfaces 8 and 10 that complementally engage the-angulated faces on wedges 12 and 14 will slide smoothly without digging in or galling. Since bunion stretchers are shown on various boot and shoe stretchers and are old in the art, no such accessories are shown with the boot leg. However, it is to be understood that such accessories may be used therewith without the exercise of inventive skill.

Operation When a bootleg 4 needs to be stretched throughout the entire length thereof, the boot leg engaging members 1 are positioned into a boot leg 4 and the handles 36 and 32 are rotated to move wedge members 12 and 14 towards each other until the boot leg engaging members 1 are in engaged relation with the boot leg 4; then if the upper portion of the leg need be stretched and the lower portion does not need to be stretched, the handle 36 is turned in a clockwise direction which will move the wedge member 12 downwardly from the position as shown in full outline in FIG. 1 to the position as shown in full outline in FIG. 5, and if desired the boot may be left on the stretcher for a period of time and then removed by turning the handle 36 counter-clockwise, with the wedge 12 being moved upward along tubular member 20.

To stretch the lower portion of leg 4 of the boot, the handle 32 'is turned to rotate shaft 22, which will move edge member 14 upwardly from the position as shown in full outline in FIG. 1 to that shown in full outline in FIG. 6, and the stretcher may be left in the boot leg for such desired time as required and then removed by rotating lever 32 and shaft 22 in the opposite direction. When it is desire-d to'stretoh the entire length of the boot leg in substantially parallel relation, the tubular members 20 and shaft 22 are rotated the same number of turns and if the pitches of the respective screws on tubular member 20 and shaft 22 are the same, the Wedges 12 and 14 will be moved inward from the position as shown in full outline in FIG. 1 -to that shown in dashed outline in the same figure and the boot leg engaging members 1 will be moved outward to the positions indicated in dashed outline in FIG. 1.

Having thus clearly shown and described the invention, what is claimed :as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. A stretcher for boot legs, which stretcher comprises;

(a) a pair of elongated boot leg engaging members having outer faces for engaging the inside surface of a boot leg, I

( 1) each of said boot leg engaging members having an 'angulated face on each end thereof, each of which faces tapers inwardly toward the middle with respect to said outer faces of said members, with the angulated faces of the respective boot leg engaging members being in opposed relation,

' (b) a wedge member fitted between each pair of angulated faces on said leg engaging members,

(1) each said wedges being centrally apertured and having screw threads formed therein for at least a portion of the length thereof,

(c) .a first screwthreaded member threadably engaging the threads of one of said wedges,

(d) a second screwthre'aded member threadably engaging the screwthreads in the other of said screwthreaded wedge members,

(1) said screw-threaded members being telescoped together in coaxial relationship and rotatable independently of each other, and

(e) means maintaining said screwthreaded members in spaced longitudinal relation with respect to said boot 1 leg engaging members, and

( 1) means on each of said screwthreaded members adapted to extend above said boot leg by which to rotate said screw-threaded members independently of each other.

2. A stretcher for boot legs, as defined in claim 1;

wherein (a) said'elongated boot leg engaging members have transverse holes formed therein intermediate the length thereof, Y

(a) said means maintaining said. screwthreaded members in spaced longitudinal relation including a block journaled on one of said screwthreaded members intermediate the length thereof,

(1) said block having a plurality of screwthreaded holes formed therein,

(c) bolts passing through the transverse holes in said elongated boot leg engaging members and threadably engaging the screwthreaded holes in said block, and

(d) resilient members biased between the heads of said screwthreaded members and the bottom of the respective transverse holes in said boot leg engaging members.

3. A stretcher for boot legs as defined in claim 1;

wherein (a) said means maintaining said screwthreaded members in spaced longitudinal relation including retaining abutments positioned on each said screwthreaded members intermediate the length thereof to retain said screwthreaded members against relative longitudinal movement with respect to each other and with respect to said boot leg engaging members.

4. A stretcher for boot legs as defined in claim 1;

wherein (a) said boot leg engaging members are of a nonmetallic substance,

(b) said wedges interposed between said angulated faces of said boot leg engaging members are of non-metallic material, and

(c) a metallic screwthreaded nut is embedded in said respective Wedges to threadably receive the respective screwthreaded portion of each said screwthreaded member.

5. A stretcher for boot legs, as defined in claim 3,

wherein (a) at least some of said abutments are clip rings removably aflixed to said screwthreaded members and in abutting relationship with said block.

6. A stretcher for boot legs, which stretcher comprises;

(a) a pair of elongated boot leg engaging members having outer faces for engaging the inside surface of a boot leg,

(1) each said boot leg engaging member having means forming an angulated inner face at each end thereof, which faces taper inwardly toward the middle with respect to the outer face of said elongated boot leg engaging members,

(2) said elongated faces being positioned in opposed relation,

(b) a wedge member fitted between the end portions of each said elongated boot leg engaging members and having the angulated faces thereof in substantially complementary relation with respective opposed angulated faces on said elongated faces of the respective boot leg engaging members,

(1) each said wedge being centrally apertured and having screwthreaded therein for at least a portion of the length thereof,

(2) a first screwthreaded member threadably engaging the threads of one of said wedges,

(3) a second screwthreaded member threadably engaging the screwthreads of the other of said screwthreaded wedge members,

(4) said screwthreaded members being telescopingly received with respect to each other with said second screwthreaded member being rotatably received within and coaxial with respect to said first screwthreaded member,

(c) a longitudinal, stationary block mounted on said second screwthreaded member in journaled relation, and

(d) abutment means on said first screwthreaded member to maintain said first screwthreaded member in fixed longitudinal relation with respect to said second screw-threaded member with said first and second screwthreaded members being relatively rotatable with respect to each other.

R 7. A stretcher for boot legs as defined in claim 6;

wherein (a) said elongated boot leg engaging members are at least partially formed of wood, and

(b) wherein said wedge members are at least partially formed of wood.

IO/1934 Legge 12--1 14.6 4/1938 Woolf 12114.6

JORDAN FRANKLIN, Primary Examiner. PATRICK D. LAWSON, Exmminmt. 

1. A STRETCHER FOR BOOT LEGS, WHICH STRETCHER COMPRISES; (A) A PAIR OF ELONGATED BOOT LEG ENGAGING MEMBERS HAVING OUTER FACES FOR ENGAGING THE INSIDE SURFACE OF A BOOT LEG, (1) EACH OF SAID BOOT LEG ENGAGING MEMBER HAVING AN ANGULATED FACE ON EACH END THEREOF, EACH OF WHICH FACES TAPERS INWARDLY TOWARD THE MIDDLE WITH RESPECT TO SAID OUTER FACES OF SAID MEMBERS, WITH THE ANGULATED FACES OF THE RESPECTIVE BOOT LEG ENGAGING MEMBERS BEING IN OPPOSED RELATION, (B) A WEDGE MEMBER FITTED BETWEEN EACH PAIR OF ANGULATED FACES ON SAID LEG ENGAGING MEMBERS, (1) EACH SAID WEDGES BEING CENTRALLY APERTURED AND HAVING SCREW THREADS FORMED THEREIN FOR AT LEAST A PORTION OF THE LENGTH THEREOF, (C) A FIRST SCREWTHREADED MEMBER THREADABLY ENGAGING THE THREADS OF ONE OF SAID WEDGES, (D) A SECOND SCREWTHREADED MEMBER THREADABLY ENGAGING THE SCREWTHREADS IN THE OTHER OF SAID SCREWTHREADED WEDGE MEMBERS, (1) SAID SCREWTHREADED MEMBERS BEING TELESCOPED TOGETHER IN COAXIAL RELATIONSHIP AND ROTATABLE INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER, AND (E) MEANS MAINTAINING SAID SCREWTHREADED MEMBERS IN SPACED LONGITUDINAL RELATION WITH RESPECT TO SAID BOOT LEG ENGAGING MEMBERS, AND (1) MEANS ON EACH OF SAID SCREWTHREADED MEMBERS ADAPTED TO EXTEND ABOVE SAID BOOT LEG BY WHICH TO ROTATE SAID SCREWTHREADED MEMBERS INDEPENDENTLY OF EACH OTHER. 